310 
The Garden Magazine, July, 1920 
multicolored. An attractive one of these and one which grows 
abundantly is the Dryas octopetala. This is a member of the 
Rose family, and indeed the white flowers resemble Wild-rose 
blossoms, except that they are eight-petalled. The plant is very 
dwarf — a creeping, evergreen shrub. Its large flowers grow on 
stems only an inch high. The seeds are plumed and the feathery 
heads are attractive after 
the flowers are gone. This 
plant will do well in the 
rockery if you give it a 
well-drained, porous soil, 
moist, but sunny. The 
leaves need a little pro- 
tection in winter, such as 
that provided by Cedar 
branches, to keep them 
from turning brown. 
Of the attractive plants 
from the Rocky Moun- 
tains, these are but a few 
examples. I have had in 
mind the eastern garden in 
describing them; but alas, 
they are just as little known 
in the West as in the East! 
To be sure, the West is 
awakening to a keen in- 
terest in gardening, and it 
is to be hoped that Western 
gardeners will realize that 
they have delightful ma- 
terial at hand and build 
up a local pride and reputation by using as many of their 
native plants as possible. Their gardens will be no less 
beautiful, and will possess far greater charm and individ- 
uality. As for the other sections of the country, it would 
seem to be enough that some of these flowers are enthusiasti- 
cally grown in England. Of course, there are things which will 
do well there that cannot 
be grown in gardens of 
the United States; but 
among these native plants 
we need not expect to 
find such. Give them the 
conditions which observa- 
tion will readily reveal 
that they require, and 
they will thrive. 
Late summer and early 
fall are the best time for 
planting most of these 
mountain plants, for they 
are then in the resting 
stage and will not suffer 
so much from being dis- 
turbed. If they can be 
moved with sufficient 
earth attached to their 
roots to preserve these 
intact and undisturbed it 
is of course a great ad- 
vantage to them, as to all 
plants. Move them “un- 
aware” in other words. 
A MOUNTAIN VALLEY BLUE WITH WILD IRIS 
This view in Crystal Park, Colorado, affords but a faint idea of the loveliness 
of Iris missouriensis which it behooves all Iris lovers to know and cultivate 
THE GRASS GUTTER 
E. C. STILES 
Landscape Architect 
An Effective Way of Disposing of Surface Drainage Without Dis- 
figuring a Lawn or Resorting to Expensive and Laborious Construction 
a FTEN a slight diver- 
gence of grade be- 
tween two small 
suburban properties, 
or a change of grade upon one 
property, causes a considerable 
amount of perplexity over the 
problem of disposing of drain- 
age. Along small suburban 
driveways heavy curbs and 
cement gutters are altogether 
out of scale; and they tend 
moreover to increase construc- 
tion costs generally, while they do not enhance the general 
appearance of the place. The less, indeed, that concrete work 
is allowed to show around the garden generally — utility con- 
crete at any rate — the better. 
The grass gutter is a pleasing and perfectly satisfactory solu- 
tion of this difficulty. Its construction, which can be seen from 
the accompanying sketch, is simplicity itself. Simply take 
up the sod along the line 
where drainage must be car- 
ried, over a width of two and 
one-half feet. Grade out a 
shallow depression or a small 
gutter, smoothing it and mak- 
ing it even and regular; then 
replace the sod and tamp it 
down thoroughly. 
Along a driveway such a 
gutter should be of even width 
and at an even distance from 
the edge of the drive; but 
when carried across a lawn, its width may vary and its direc- 
tion too, if such variation promises any advantage. Never 
make it more than 3 inches deep at its deepest point how- 
ever — and keep it broad and shallow It must never take 
on the aspect of a ditch nor be so sharply sloped that any 
difficulty will be experienced in using the lawn mower, since the 
whole idea is to keep it a part of the lawn. 
THIS SECTIONAL VIEW SHOWS GUTTER BESIDE DRIVE 
If it is used across the lawn or between two places it 
might be desirable to make it wider and deeper; the pro- 
portions should be maintained as here given, however 
